Chalk and Cheese
by Wilsden
Summary: Doyle overhears a conversation


Chalk and Cheese.

I realise I am in hospital. It has a smell I am all too familiar with. Everything is in relative silence so it must be late in the day. What day? How long have I been here? What's happened to me? In my momentary panic I can't remember. I'm too weak to move, to even open my eyes. I can only lie here and listen to the noise of the beeping heart monitor to my left that filters into my awakening consciousness and then I feel soft knuckles slowly grazing my forehead backwards and forwards soothingly. I am not alone but this now only adds to my rising panic. Is someone keeping a vigil because I'm expected to die? There's a sudden sound to my right and the fingers at my head are hurriedly removed. A door opens.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'll come back later." the apologetic words of a young woman.

" No,no,its fine. I was just leaving." Bodie! Its Bodie but why would he be stroking my head? Oh God, I must be dying. I'm aware the heart monitor has started to beep a couple of beats faster and the woman moves around to the machine but she seems unconcerned by its irregular rhythm.

"Leaving? Chance would be a fine thing. You've been here three days."

"Have I ? The days are all merging into one. How's he doing?"

"He's doing very well, don't look so worried. Is he your brother?"

"Brother?" Bodie seems to consider this for a moment. "No." he says softly. " He's my partner." There's a short pause before Bodie adds quickly "We work together-for the goverment-C.I.5? I'm Bodie."

"I'm Susan. Yes, I heard about the incident. He's the one that got shot."

"Yeah."

_I'm doing very well_, she said and her words have instantly calmed me, so much so that I start to remember the shooting. In the stairwell of an office block, three men, a lot of noise, gunfire, a sharp pain to my chest, Bodie screaming my name and then blackness and nothingness.

"You're very fond of him," the nurse's voice pierces through the armour of my scattered thoughts. She's concentrating and I hear a rustle of papers being turned over.

Bodie seems embarrassed. "Sort of."

"Sort of?"

"He's a pain in the arse getting shot all the time," there's a laugh in Bodie's tired voice.

"He's done this before then?"

"Yeah."

"But you haven't."

"Nope. Move too fast, you see. Bullets can't catch me!"

They share a laugh. "You still look worried."

"Do I? I know he needs his beauty sleep with a face like that but I just wish he'd wake up. I'm the tall dark handsome one of the outfit." They are laughing again.

"I disagree, he's got a certain something."

Bodie throws back his head and laughs. "Someone else once told him that!"

_Oh no, don't tell her about Marge._

Bodie continues, "A woman called Marge. Took a real shine to him she did. Old enough to be his mother!"

_Thanks, Bodie._

"I can see the attraction." the nurse says.

"So I've got no chance then?" asks Bodie, downcast.

"I didn't say that." there's a smile in Susan's voice.

They are quiet for a few moments but the nurse must see the worry on Bodie's face.

"He'll start to wake in a few hours. The sedation is wearing off and he's not in any pain. He's doing very well because he's so fit. That's helped to save him. He obviously looks after himself."

"Yeah, he eats all this weird food. Vitamins and stuff. Organic."

"Let me guess, you don't."

"No, I like nothing better than a good fry up. Plenty of sausages, bacon and eggs!"

"You two sound so different it's a wonder you get on!"

"It's probably why we do. Our differences make us a great team. I wouldn't want anyone else watching my back when we are in the thick of it. He's just… the best, not that I'd ever tell him that. And don't you either!" I can almost hear Bodie smile and the sound is reflected in Susan's voice.

"Talking about fry ups, I bet you haven't eaten properly since you've been here."

"No, suppose not. Haven't really felt like it and, to be honest, I….." Bodie breaks off and there's a sadness to his voice.

" Go on."

" This is going to sound stupid but …..I've been scared to leave him. When he first came in I thought he was going to die and now that I know he's not I don't want him to wake up alone."

"Well now why does that sound stupid," the nurse admonishes him and I hear her move to stand beside Bodie at the foot of the bed. "It shows you care."

"I sound soft. Doyle's the soft one though he once told me that under my hard shell I was just a great big softee."

"I think he might be right, and….." the nurse moves towards the door, " I like great big softees."

"Yeah?" Bodie brightens. The pair are quiet for a few moments. Now that I know I am out of danger I can relax and I'm enjoying the conversation I have become privy too.

"He's lucky to have you." Susan says. There's a long pause and I don't think Bodie is going to say anything until, "No, I'm lucky to have him." His voice is soft and sincere and I am flooded with a feeling of warmth. I have never really considered his feelings for me. I know he looks out for me when we are on a dangerous job as I do for him but to hear him speak of me in such affectionate terms has taken my breath away and I'm in danger of setting that machine off again.

"Listen, I have a lunch break in five minutes. Could I tempt you to a fry up in the canteen? A break for an hour or so will do you good. You can tell me some more about you and Mr Doyle."

Bodie must have looked over to me for she adds, " Or at least a coffee if you don't want to leave him for too long."

"A fry up would be good."

"Great, I'll see you there in five minutes." Susan opens the door to leave and then stops. "Talk to him. There's evidence to suggest patients in comas can hear what's being said."

"You mean he might have heard everything I've just said about him?" Bodie sounds aghast.

Susan giggles and closes the door behind Bodie comes to stand beside the bed.

"Listen you lazy sod, wake up because if you think I am spending another night on that uncomfortable chair you can think again especially when I'm on a promise with the lovely nurse Susan."

Inside I am laughing. I'm going to tease him something rotten when I get out of here. But suddenly his curled fingers stroke my forehead again briefly.

"See you in a bit, matey." he whispers warmly and he is gone. And I know then I can't ever speak of the conversation I have witnessed. Things have been said and even more imparted unspoken. But I know something. He was wrong to say he was lucky to have me. Its me that is lucky to have him.


End file.
